


Glimpses

by im_the_king_of_the_ocean



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Post Season 4, Self-Sacrifice, because he wants them to be safe more, but i just finished binging this show this week and im kinda obsessed, but keeps his distance as to not give in to his desire to be with them, but they don't make too major of appearances, im late to the party i know, lucifer can't resist popping in to see how everyone is, mention of other characters, shrug emoji
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-07
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2020-04-12 09:04:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19128874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/im_the_king_of_the_ocean/pseuds/im_the_king_of_the_ocean
Summary: Lucifer chose to return to Hell, to contain the demons and keep his loved ones safe.However, there are fleeting moments where he can't resist flying back up to Earth to see how everyone's doing.  From a distance.





	Glimpses

Sometimes, Lucifer visits the Earth.

Never for long.Certainly not long enough to be truly noticed.

It isn’t that he doesn’t _want_ to be seen.It isn’t within his nature to stay out of the spotlight.Certain spotlights, that is.The ones he chooses.The ones he _desires._

It is for that reason that he cannot allow himself to be seen.He restrained himself from giving into his temptations once.To do so a second time?Is something he’s not sure he’s capable of doing, and he’s capable of quite a lot.

So, he remains distant.An observer.A star in the night sky.Shining, but lost among a million others and virtually indistinguishable.

That was always the thing about the morning star, wasn’t it?It was the star that could be recognized.Known regardless of how much constellation knowledge the stargazer held.

For whatever it’s worth, Lucifer is still _known_.His face hasn’t vanished out of their minds.He wonders if he should seek to remove it, but, in the end, it is the future (slim) possibility of real return and _her_ anger at such a transgression that stops him.

He doesn’t allow himself to _hope_.He chose this.He will not go back on his choice.There will be consequences if he does.Consequences he won’t let come to pass, no matter the cost to himself.

He wonders if this is Dad’s Great Plan all along.To get him to care enough to go back to his role, his _place_ in the Grand Scheme of Things.Lucifer loathes the concept.But not enough to rebel against it, despite how much _that_ chafes at him.For, to rebel now, would to be to unleash Hell on Earth.

And put the Detective in danger.

He will not do _that_.No matter what else.

Lucifer’s first trip back to Earth, thus, is purely managerial.He has contingencies in place for Lux in the event of him ‘disappearing’, but he hadn’t put them into motion before he departed that final night.He goes back to do so, and _only_ that.

Lucifer accepts losing everything.For the most part.He refuses to let his home go completely.Baring extreme natural disaster, the night club will remain even if its owner doesn’t return to it for centuries.

Once his work there is done, he intends to head back immediately.It would do him no good to linger.To linger is to _long for._

Regardless, he hesitates.It would be good to let the demons simmer in fear for a while, he supposes.To wonder if he were just behind them, out of sight, concealed in shadow.Since his return, they’d been shaken.They’d defied him thinking his abdication was permanent.To see him back on the throne was to know they were wrong.To know that his wrath could come down on them at any moment.When he was visible, he was a known danger.When he wasn’t, they feared and not in a way they enjoyed.

So, Lucifer remains.Just for a little while.Long enough to observe his brother, Linda, and Baby Charlie in a grocery store.Acting the part of family.Picking up groceries.Chatting away about uninteresting topics.

Amenadiel visited him once, and only once, in Hell after his return.Their conversation had been brief.Amenadiel may have changed enough to not _like_ Lucifer giving up his home and returning to his throne, but he would not argue against a move that protected his own son.Not enough to change things, anyway.Not that he _could_.

The moment the family looks up, almost seeing him through the glass window, Lucifer is gone.A rush of wind coming from nowhere the only sign he’d ever been there at all.

Lucifer’s second trip to Earth is purely for Ella, and, by extension, for Azrael.His sister once sent her favorite human to him.He respects that wish.He comes to Ella when she’s drunk one night, to watch over her and to listen to her ramble.She thinks he’s a figment of her imagination.There is no way Lucifer, the _real_ Lucifer she’d made sure to clarify for him numerous times, would ever sit so still so quietly for so long.He doesn’t disagree with her.Let her believe what she must.

After that, he doesn’t return for a while.There is no reason to.None at all.None.

Hell isn’t a boring place.There are numerous things to do, though they do tend to all run along under the same theme of fire and brimstone.Dishing out Dromos’s punishment is mildly entertaining.As is dealing with the few others that truly sided with the demon.Watching the rest squirm under the gaze of their king does _something_ for him.

Altogether, Lucifer finds it lacking.

He supposes he should check up on Eve at least once.They may not be good for each other, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel some responsibility for her.It’s not like anyone else, divine or otherwise, will look out for her.

That visit is, by far, the _briefest_.He’s there long enough to realize Eve and Maze have found each other again and in such a way that he doubts he can convince Hell’s best torturer to ever return.

Lucifer enjoys voyeurism, certainly, but only when its desired by _all_ participants.He’ll not intrude on a private, intimate moment between a new couple.

When he returns, he lounges on his throne.The picture of ease, nonchalance, and allure.His fingers tap against the cool, smooth stones of his armrests in frustration.Lucifer huffs.He grumbles.Then, he spreads his wings for one last visit.

Trixie tells him, over the fence separating her school playground from the outside world, that her mom is really sad without him.She asks him to come back and tells him, whatever he did wrong, he can apologize.Sure, maybe, he’ll get a grownup timeout (if those exist), but her mom will be really happy to see him.

He tries to tell her; he can’t.It’s not that simple.

She tells him; yes, yes it is.All he has to do is wait for the end of the school day (maybe he could go to a nearby ice cream place so he could bring her back a treat?) and go home with her and her dad.

Again, he tries to convince her of the impossibilities.She reminds him that her parents are justice-seekers.If he’s in trouble, they can _help_.

Finally, her recess ends.Lucifer isn’t positive if he’s grateful or not.He hadn’t meant to actually _interact_ with the little miscreant, just ensure her safety (as the Detective cared about her greatly).Unlike the others, she’d managed to notice him, _really_ notice him, and refused to let him out of her presence without a conversation.

He doesn’t linger.He can’t.

Once he’s on his throne again, he tucks his emotions away.It will be best if he just can’t feel them.He will preside as king.Ignore all else.

* * *

It isn’t _impossible_ to break into Hell.There _are_ ways.The main thing is that no one, in their right mind, would ever _want_ to.It is the realm of eternal punishment, after all.Most want to _avoid_ ever having to come here.

Yet, there comes a moment out of the monotony when someone, someone who very much isn’t supposed to be here (and not just because she’s bloody _alive_ ), arrives.She doesn’t have wings or divinity, but she does have a parachute, a cocky smile, and a large gleaming sword casually slung over one shoulder.

“Where,” is his first word to the Detective, “did you get a _heaven-forged sword_ of all things?”

Chloe glances at it.“Yeah, that’s kind of a long story.”She looks back at him, a determined expression on her face.“Aren’t you going to ask how I got here?”

“I—very well.How—?”

“Also a long story, but you weren’t coming to visit me like you were _everyone else_ so.”She shrugs.“I decided I’d just have to come to you.”

He can’t help but smile because, well, because he loves her.


End file.
